Adjustable pipe wrench and handle therefor



- Mar. 3. 1925. l 1,527,996

T. PIRO ADJUSTABLE- P11313 WRENCH AND HANDLE TNEREFR Filed April 2. v1924 sneets-sneeti @ttor um;

Mar. 3. 1925. 1,527,996

T. PlRo ADJUSTABLE PIPEVWRENCH AND H1 NDLE.THEREFOR Filed April 2 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 a HllllllIIIUrHHIIIlIIIHlIH A J5 77077@ FZ7@ afkomt,

Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES TONEY Pino, or PEKIN, Immers.

ADJUSTABLE PIPE WRENCH AND HANDLE THERE-FOR'.

Appucatin mea April 2,

To all fwzomlz't may concern.'

Be it known that I, TONEY Pino, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pekin, in the county of Tazewell an-d State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Jadjustable Pipe Wrenches and Handles Therefor, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates .to new and useful improvements in wrenches which are particularly adapted for use upon cylindrical objects such as pipes or the like and has for its principal object to provide a simple and efficient device which will be positive in its grippingl action, means being further provided for enabling the wrench to be actuated in positions which are ordinarily inaccessible.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, wherein th-e jaws may be moved relative to each other for engagement with the object to be turned in an easyand quick manner, a handlebeing detachably and adjustably associated with the shank of the wrench for facilitating the actuation thereof from various positions.

Another important object of the invention is to 'provide a wrench of the above y mentioned character, wherein the shankfis provided with a polygonal-shaped socket member for receiving the polygonal-shaped headcf a handle whereby the handle may be 'actuated from various angles, these beingfurther associated with the handle and the polygonal socket member for holding the handle against accidental displacement from the shank when in use. f

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable, and further well adapted for the purposes for which" it is designa-ted.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

1n the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same, ,j

Figure` 1 is a side elevation of my im- 1924. Serial No. 703,712.

proved-wrench with the handle in position thereon,

Figure 2 isa top plan view thereof with the handle disposed at substantially right angles to the shank,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3 3 of Figure l,

Figure 4c is a sectional .View taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1, l

Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the shank showing the teeth formed on f the sides of the longitudinal slot provided in the shank and also showing the polygonal shaped socket member on one end and the gripping Ijaw on the other end thereof, v

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the block supported in the handle for holding the latch member, 1

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the latch member, and

Figure 9 is a plan view of an auxiliary handle. l

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred einbodiment of myinvention,` the numeral l designates the shank and adapted to be detachably supported in the outer end thereof is the gripping jaw 2. Any suitable fastening means such as is shown at?) in the drawings is provided vfor holding the gripping jaw in position on the outer end of the shank. The gripping jaw 2 is provided with the teeth 4 which extend transversely across the outer face thereofl in the manner as clearly shown in Figure l ofthe drawings. The opposite end of the vshank l is provided with the polygonal shaped socket member 5 which is also provided with the polygonal shaped transversely extending opening or socket 6 vthe purpose of which will be hereinafterY more fullyfdescribed. The shank i is further provided with the longitudinali;fv

extending slot 7 whichv extends'through the sides of the saine, and the bottom edge of the slot 7 is provided with the teeth 8 in the manner as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings. I'

Adapted to co-operate with the gripping i aw 2 is the co-acting'gripping jaw@ which is formed on the outer end of the-arm 10 in the manner as shown more clearly in Figure 1 of the drawings. The gripping jaw 9 is also provided with teeth 11 for co-operation with the teeth 4L on the gripping liaw 2 for securely holding the cylindrical object in position therebetween so as to prevent the accidental displacement or slipping of `the gripping aw around the object which is t0 be turned. The inner end of the arm 19 is provided with a sleeve 12 which has an enlarged opening 13 lextending longitudinally therethrough andV providing a means for receiving the shank 1 thus permitting the slidable movement of the arm and the jaw 9 carried on the outer end thereof on the shank in the manner as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The front wall or side of the sleeve 12 isl provided with thev enlarged opening la which is `0f substantially the same width as the slot 7 provided in the shank 1 and is provided for the purpose to be presently apparent. rlhe rear wall of the sleeve 12 is provided with a threaded opening 15 which is also in alignment with the slot 7 in the manner vas clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5 of the. drawings. Adapted to extend through tlie'o'pening 11i inthe front wall of the sleeve 12 and disposed between the upper edge of the longitudinal slot 7 and the teeth 8 formed inthe bottom edge thereof is the pinion 16. The pinion 16 Ahas teeth 17 meshing with the Ateeth 8 `formed in the bottom of the slot 7 and the outer end of the pinion 16 is provided with the knurled handle 1S whereby the same is to be operated.

'Extending through the pinion 16 4for the .purpose of securing the lsame in position in the sleeve, is the fastening bolt 19 the inner end of which is threaded as shown at'20 for engagement with the :threaded opening 15 yprovi-dedin the rear wall of the sleeve, and a shoulder such as is shown at 21 in the 'drawings with reference more particularly vto Figure 3 is formed on'the bolt 19adjacent the threaded end thereof for engagement with the inner end of the pinion 16. The fastening bolt 19 extends through the central opening provided in the pinion and the outer'end of the fastening bolt is provided with the knurled slotted head 22 which is receivable in the cut-out portion I provided'in the knurled head 18 of the pinion 16. In this manner, the pinion v16 will he securely held in positionin the sleeve and in engagement with the teeth in the shank whereby the arm 10 may be .moved in either direction so as to cause the jaw 9 to move Ainwardly or `outwardly with respect to the stationary i aw 2. The portion of the pinion 16 adjacent the handle 18 formed on the outer end thereof is provided with a circumferentia'lly' extending groove 24 and extend- "ing therein :is the spring-pressedV member 25 which .is .supported in the sleeve 12 in the manner as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings and the purpose of this construction is to provide a means for preventing the pinion from being freely rotated, the device acting as a friction holding means for the pin ion. by operating the knurled handle 18 the pinion may be caused to travel in the groove 7 over the serrated bottom thereof and simultaneously move the arm and jaw 9 carried thereby in either direct-ion on the shank until the object to be turned is gripped by the jaws 2 and 9, respectively.

For the purpose of actuating the wrench after the gripping jaws have been placed in position around the pipe or other cylindrical object to be turned, l provide the handle 26. The forward end of the handle 26 is .provided with a polygonal-shaped head 27 which is disposed at substantially right angles to the body portion of the handle in the manner as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4f of the drawings. The polygonal head 27 is adapted to be disposed within the polygonal-shaped socket 6 provided in the end of the shank 1 and may be so arranged therein as to enable the handle to be placed at a desired angle with respect '-to the shank. In Figure 1 of the drawings the handle 26 is disposed substantially `in the same plane as the shank while in Figure 2 of the drawings the handle 26 is disposed at substan-Y tially right angles thereto. By -providing the handle wit-h the polygonal-shaped head 27 and the shank 1 with the polygonalshaped socket G the various angles in which the handle may be supported on the shank, are provided.

For the purpose of preventing the accidental removal of the handle from the shank, I provide the forward end thereof with a suitable pocket in which is adapted to be removably supported a rectangularY shaped block 28 the construction of which is more clearly shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. This block S is provided with the longitudinally extending slot 29 for cooperation with a slot 30 provided in the forward end of the handle 26 and any suitable fastening means such as is shown at 31 is adapted to extend through the openings 32 provided in the block and in the pocket formed in the forward end of the handle for holding the 'block in position thereon, Adapted to be supported by the block 28 and the forward end of the handle 26 is the latch 3.3 the construction of which is clearly shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, the latch being of substantially angular construction. The forward end ofthe latch .is adapted to be disposed through an opening provided in the forward end of the handle and is adapted to be seated in one of the recesses 34 provided in the outer faces of the polygonal-shaped socket member 5. A coil spring 85 which is disposed in the slot 30 lll() lill normally holds the forward end of the latch '33 in engagement with the socket member and for the purpose of retracting the latch from engagement with one of the recesses, the depending portion which. extends through the slot 29 of the block 28 is provided with a head 36.

Then the latch is in a retractedposition, the polygonal-shaped head 27 of the handle 26 may be placed in the polygonalfsocket l6 at the desired angle and when the-.same is seated in the socket the spring 35. will normally urge the forward end of the ylatch into engagement with the adjacent recess 34, thus holding the handle in locked engagement with the socket member and against vertical displacement therefrom.

By providing a handle connection of the above mentioned character, the wrench may be operated from any convenient position in a simple and efficient manner. Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced in turning pipes where insufficient room was provided for ena-bling the handle of the wrench to be readily grasped by the operator for turning the wrench. However by providing a handle connection of the character above described, the wrench may be easily turned regardless of the position in which the same is placed and without having the person operating the wrench experience difficulty in reaching the handle whereby the Wrench may be turned.

If, however, it is desired to further render the operation of the handle of the wrench more easily and in instances where the operation of the handle 36 would not be very efficient, I provide the auxiliary handle shown at 37 in Figure 9 of the drawings. One end of the handle 37 is provided wth a slot 38 which provides a means for permitting the same to extend over the free end of the handle 26 and will be disposed at substantially right angles thereto, thus lengthening the leverage of the wrench and permit-ting the operator to actuate the same from a distant point without any difficulty.

ly having the teeth '8 provided in the bottom of the slot 7 wherein the teeth extend slightly less than one half the width of the slot and the other portion of the bottom of the slot will cooperate with the smooth portion of the pinion thereby causing the latter to act as a roller bearing thus relieving the pressure from the teeth when the wrench is in use.

An adjustable pipe wrench" of the above mentioned character, will not only be strong and durable, but may further be manufactured at a very low cost and the parts are so arranged as to enable the same to be readily disassembled whenever necessary.

lVhile I have shown the preferred einbodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be re- Sorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I'A claim is l. A wrenchl of the class described comprising a shank, a jaw on thev outer Aend thereof, a co-acting jaw slidable on said shank, means for adjusting said jaws relative lto each other, a socket member formed lon the opposite end of said shank, said socketmember having a polygonal-shaped socket formed thereinat substantially right angles to the shank, ay handle having a polygonal-shaped head adapted to fit in said polygonal-shaped socket, and means for locking said handle against vertical movement on said shank.

2. A wrench comprising a shank, a jaw at one end thereof, a co-acting jaw slidable on said shank, means for adjusting said jaws relative to each other, a polygonal-shaped socket member formed o-n the opposite end of said shank, said polygonal-shaped socket member having recesses provided in the outer faces thereof and having a polygonalshaped socket extending at right angles to the shank, a handle having a polygonalshaped head adapted to fit in said polygonalshaped socket, and means for'locking said handle on said shank against vertical Inovement thereof, comprising a spring-pressed latch extending forwardly from the inner end of the handle and adapted to lit in one of said recesses.

3. A'wrench comprising a shank, a jaw on the outer end thereof, said shank having a longitudinally extending slot formed therethrough, o-ne of the longitudinal edges of the slot having teeth thereon, an arm, a jaw on the outer end thereof co-acting with the aforementioned jaw, a sleeve on the inner end of said arm and slidably supported on said shank, said sleeve having an opening provided in the front face thereof cof-operating with the slot in said shank, and being further provided with a threaded opening in the rear face thereof, a hollow pinion extending through the opening in the front of said sleeve and disposed in said slot, the teeth of said pinion meshing with the teeth in said slo-t, a handle formed on the outer end of said hollow pinion for actuating the same, a fastening member extending through the pinion and having its inner end threaded into the threaded opening provided in the rear face of the sleeve, the head of said fastening member receivable in an opening provided in the head of said pinion, for securing the pinion in position in thesleeve ,and in the slot in the shank, and means associated with the inner end of the shank for actuating the same.

4. A Wrench comprising a shank, a. jaw on the outer end thereof, said shank having a longitudinall7 extending slot formed therethrough, one of the longitudinal edges of the slot having teeth thereon, an arm, a jaw on the outer end thereof eo-acting With the aforementioned jaw, a sleeve on the inner end of said arin and slidahly supported on said shank, said sleeve having an opening provided in the front 'face thereof eo-operating` with the slot in said shank, and being further provided with a threaded opening in the rear face thereof7 a hollow pinion extending through the opening in the front of said sleeve and disposed in said slot, the teeth of said pinion meshing With the .teeth in said slot, a handle formed on the outer end of said hollenT pinion for aetuating the saine,'a fastening member extending through the pinion and having its inner end threaded into the threaded opening provided in the rear i'aee of the sleeve, the head o'l said fastening nieinber receivable vin an opening provided in the head of said pinion, for securing the pinion in position in the sleeve and in the slot in the shank, means for rietionally holding the pinion in said sleeve, and means associated with the inner end of the shank for actuating the same.

In testimony whereof I afIiX Inv signature.

TONEY PURO. 

